Data on certifications and licenses

In January 2015, questions were added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify persons with professional certifications and licenses.

Certifications and licenses are credentials that demonstrate a level of skill or knowledge needed to perform a specific type of job.
Certifications are issued by a non-governmental body, but licenses are awarded by a government agency and convey a legal authority to
work in an occupation. People may have more than one certification or license; people with a license may also have a certification.

Annual average tables are available below. These are estimates for the nation as a whole; data are not tabulated for states or local areas.